This work demonstrates the isolation of lignocellulose micro-nanofibrils, nanocrystals and nanospheres from steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse (SEB). First, steam-explosion was carried out in sugarcane bagasse at 195 °C for 7.5 and 15 min (SEB-7.5 and SEB-15). Untreated sugarcane bagasse was also pretreated by mechanical refining (MRB) in a PFI mill for comparison. Then, SEB and MRB fibers were submitted to alkaline delignification, hypochlorite bleaching for 60 or 180 min (HB60 and HB180), enzymatic hydrolysis (endoglucanase), and high-pressure homogenization. The resulting materials were characterized regarding chemical composition by high-performance liquid chromatography, width and morphology by transmission electron microscopy, crystallinity by X-ray powder diffraction and aspect ratio (length/diameter) by rheology. Levels of glucans (mostly cellulose), hemicelluloses and lignin were: 53.8%, 19.7% and 11.6% in MRB-HB180; 87.8%, <0.1% and 7.2% in SEB-7.5-HB60; 84.3%, <0.1% and 4.8% in SEB-7.5-HB180, 85.9%, <0.1% and 8.4% in SE-15-HB60; and 82.2%, <0.1% and 5% in SE-15-HB180, respectively. Aspect ratios and crystallinity indexes were similar among all groups (~100 and ~73%, respectively), except for SE-15-HB180 (~ 78.5 and 77%, respectively). MRB-HB180 and SE-15 (HB60 and HB180) had the lowest fiber widths (<20 nm) with the presence of nanocrystals in SE-15-HB180, while in the SE-7.5 (HB60 and HB180), fiber widths were greater than 50 nm with the presence of lignin nanospheres in SE-7.5-HB60. Hence, lignocellulose nanomaterials with aspect ratios ranging from micro/nanofibers to nanocrystals were isolated from SEB using a cost-effective production process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.